Island



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED E. BURLIN GAME, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGN OR OFONE-HALF TO FREDERICK E. SHAW, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

PROCESS OF CONVERTING HIDES INTO LEATHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,559, dated July '7,1896. Application filed AprilZO, 1896. smart. 588,372. (Nospecimensn) Toall whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRED ELISHA BURLIN- GAME, of Central Falls, in thecounty of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented anImprovement in Processes of Convertin g Hides into Leather; and I herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

This invention has reference to the step in the process of convertinghides into leather by which the gelatinous matter in the hide is madeinsoluble in water under the usual conditions in which leather is used;and it consists in subjecting the prepared hide to the action of atanning liquid containing either the crude condensed product of thedestructive distillation of woody fiber or the pyroligneous acid drawnoff from the crude product of destructive distillation, combined with anagent such as chlorid of sodium or its equivalent, as will be more fullyset forth hereinafter.

I find that alkalies and alkaline earths, the salts of the alkalies, andthe salts of the alkaline earths produce, when mixed with the crudeproduct of the destructive distillation of wood fiber, or with the crudepyroligneous acid, a tanning liquor having, practically, the samequalities as when mixed with salt.

In practice I prefer, for convenience and for economical reasons, theuse of the crude pyroligneous acid of commerce, to which is added anequal quantity of water in which about ten per cent. of chlorid ofsodium (common salt) has been dissolved.

The so-prepared tanning liquor is placed into a suitable vat or tank andthe prepared hide is placed into the liquor until the liquor hassufficiently penetrated the hide. The hide is then withdrawn from theliquor and hung up to dry.

When part-1y dry, I immerse the hide in a saturated or nearly saturatedsolution of chlorid of sodium (common salt and water) and then wash inwater,preferably running water.

The length of time during which the hide requires to be immersed in thetanning liquor depends on the thickness of the hide and the nature ofthe tanning required. For light hides, or heavier hides requiring to beonly In practice I find that one day or even less is sufficient for verylight hides and that ten days is sufficient to produce heavysoleleather.

The strength of the tanning liquor may be varied. The chlorid of sodiumor its equivalent may be dissolved in the crude fluid product of thedestructive distillation of woody fiber, or in the pyroligneous acidwithout the addition of water, and the strength may be reduced by theaddition of water to any desired extent.

The time required for immersion of the hide in the solution of salt andwater depends on the thickness of the hide. In practice I find that itmay extend from one to ten hours, according to the thickness of thehide.

The so-converted hide (into leather) is finished in the usual mannerused to finish different kinds of leather.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The process herein described for converting hidesinto leather, the same consisting in immersing the hide in a bathcontaining the liquid product of destructive distillation of wood andsalt or its equivalent, partially drying the hide, then immersing thesame in a bath of salt and water, washing and drying the leather, asdescribed.

2. The step in the process of converting hides into leather, the sameconsisting in immersing the hide in a bath containing pyroligneous acidand salt, as described.

. 3. The step in the process of converting hides into leather, the sameconsisting in immersing the hide in a bath consisting approximately ofone part pyroligneous acid, one part of water and common salt, asdescribed.

I witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRED E. BURLINGAME.

'Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. MILLER, JosEPH A. MILLER, Jr.

